Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an image generation-output control apparatus, an image processing system, an image processing method, and a storage medium of image processing program.
Background Art
Systems that can define and control various processes for generating a printed product by using a data format such as job definition format (JDF) are known. This system can collectively control various types of printers such as offset printers and digital printers. This system is referred to as a hybrid work flow (HWF) system, and a server that controls the HWF system is referred to as a HWF server.
The HWF system collectively controls printing processes using various printing apparatuses (e.g., offset printer and digital printer) and a workflow software based on JDF information even if such various printing apparatuses and workflow software are provided by different vendors. Some vendors providing various printing apparatuses and workflow software may extend the JDF information to be used by the HDF system.
In the HWF system, the offset printer and the digital printer independently perform printing operation based on print data defined by the extended JDF information. However, the digital printer may not be able to interpret the extended JDF information set at the HWF server.
JP-2013-88992-A discloses an image forming apparatus that can perform a printing operation by using any type of the JDF information. In JP-2013-88992-A, the image forming apparatus acquires JDF analysis data, which is information to interpret the JDF information of software used for the HWF server, from the HWF server to analyze a print job, and performs the printing operation based on an analysis result.
When the HWF system includes the offset printer and the digital printer, the HWF server performs raster data generation by using a raster image processor (RIP) engine (hereinafter, “RIP processing”), and then the HWF server transfers the raster data to a computer-to-plate (CTP) of the offset printer that generates a plate for the offset printer to perform the printing operation at the offset printer. Further, the HWF server transfers the print data to a digital front end (DFE) of the digital printer, and the DFE performs the RIP processing to cause a printer engine to perform the printing operation at the digital printer.
When the technique described in JP-2013-88992-A is applied to the HWF system including the offset printer and the digital printer, the RIP engine of the DFE may interpret the JDF information of the print job differently compared to the RIP engine of the HWF server, in which the RIP engine of the DFE may not perform the RIP processing as intended by an operator. If the HWF server extends the JDF information of the print job so that the RIP engine of the DFE can interpret the JDF information correctly, the JDF information becomes too complex, causing a complex format-adjustment processing in the printing system.